Key pad for wind instruments



Feb. 6, 1951 F. M. scHoEMANN 2,540,760

KEY PAD FQR WIND INSTRUMENTS Filed April 2, 1948 "amg Mi @E Patented Feb. 6, 1951 lUNITED STATES PATEN T oFFIcE KEY PAD Fon WIND INSTRUMENTS Fred M. Schoemann,

C. G. Conn, of Indiana Elkhart, Ind., assigner to Ltd., Elkhart, Ind., a corporation Application April 2, 1948, Serial No. 18,653 j 4 Claims.

This invention relates to keys for use with `wind instruments, such as iiutes, clarinets, saxophones, piccolos, oboes, and the like, and it reing or closing one or more or combinations of a plurality of tone-hole sockets. Opening and closing movements are imparted to the key pad by suitable rocker arms which may be manually operated or operated by mechanical means, and together with the pad they form the keys. Pads ordinarily are dimensioned to iit over the respective tone-hole socket in sealing relation, and they are selected of materials which are relatively rigid or inflexible to resist wear and excessive deformation.

Notinfrequently, a key is poorly aligned in assembly7 or its adiustment may be undesirably altered in use. When this occurs, the pad fails properly to seat on the tone-hole socket with the result that air leaks are produced. Ob-

viously such air leaks render the instrument. out

of tune when certain notes are played, and readjustment or repair of the key is necessitated. In the past, it has been necessary to realign the pad by bending the rocker arms or other parts of the keys or by warping the key which remains fixed to the instrument. Since the adjustment is very critical, it is often necessary to employ eX- pert technicians properly to adjust, repair, or replace the key. Repair, therefore, is often time consuming and costly.

.An object of this invention is to produce a key for wind instruments in which proper alignment between pad and tone-hole V'socket can be secured in a simple and expeditious manner.

Another vobject'isto produce a self-aligning pad for a keyed wind instrument whereby a nonleaking fit of pad to socket can be automatically secured even when the key is out of adjustment.

A further object is to produce a key which may be repaired on the wind instrument without the necessity of warping or bending the key.

A further object is to produce a key for wind instruments in which any ,irregularities in pad adjustment or socket construction can be easily and quickly compensated without special tools or expert technicians, enabling adjustment or repair to be eiiected at distant stations.

These and other objects and advantages of this invention will be more' readily apparent from view of a key having a 2 v 3 the following description when read in connection with the accompanying drawing, in which:

Figure 1 is an enlarged sectional elevational pad which is improperly aligned with respect to a: tone-hole socket;

Figure 2 isa sectional elevational view, similar to that of Fig. l, embodying features of this invention by which `the`pad has been automati- `cally properly aligned;

Figure13 isl 'a sectionalU elevational View of a modified keyembodying the features of this in'- vention;

Figure 4 is a detail top plan View of a deformable disc for backing the key pad;

Figure 5 is a detail top plan view of another form of backing disc which may be used in this invention; and fy Figure 6 is a detail top plan view of still another form of backing disc.

A cardinal feature of this'invention resides in a key construction for wind instruments whereby vthe key padis backed by a deformable member which permits pad adjustment repsonsive to pressure of the pad on the tone-hole socket. Such pressures may be constantly applied through the rocker arm which resiliently urges the pad toward closed position, or they may be externally applied with or without the application of heat or otherwise solely for the purpose of effecting pad adjustment. When the applied forces are constant, it is suiiicient if the backing member is formed of pliable material, such as rubber, sponge rubber, foamed plastic, or rubber-like plastics, and the like, to enable readjustment of the pad for securing a vnon-leaking t between pad and socket vwhen in the closed position. On 'the other hand, when external forces are applied for the' express purpose of pad' alignment,` the deformable member fis preferably formed of ma'- terials capableffof Yretaining a set so that the pad will, as a'result, remain in the adjusted align'- rnent for an extended period.

Referring now more specifically to the illustrated embodiment of the invention shown in Figs. 1 and 2 of the drawing, il! indicates a pad adapted to seat in sealing relation on a tone-hole socket Il forming a part of the wind instrument l2. The pad, backed by a deformable disc I3, is retained in a cup-shaped member i4 which is xed to one end of a rocker arm I5 by which the pad is carried in the direction toward and away from the socket toits sealed and opened positions of adjustment. Ordinarily, the rocker arm is ten-j sioned constantly to urge the pad toward s'ealingrelation. j. The rocker arm I5, cup-shaped meni-4 3 ber I4, pad I0, and disc I3 comprise the key unit which thev player manipulates to effect tone changes.

Instead of positioning the pad and deformable disc as separate units in the cup-shaped member I4, the two may be pre-assembled to form a composite unit in acasing I6 whichmay be removably positioned inthe'l cup-shaped member', as shown in Fig. 3.

As previously pointed out, of adjustment, an air gap exists between the pad and the socket, as shown in Fig. 1. 1f` the pady I3 is constantly urged to its sealed position with sufcient pressure, a disc formed of," pliable anddeiormable material, such as rubber, roamed rubber, or rubber-like plastics and the like will enable automatic readjustment ofthe pad to eiect 'sealing relation with the Socket II every time. the pad is operated toe closed position.

By the use of a disc I3 formed of materials capable of. retaining' a set with or without the application of heat,A thepad may be properly aligned for an extended period merely by the application of suicient pressure to effect' deformation or collapse of the disc I3 as the pad is pressed into engagement with the tone-hole socket II and urged into alignment, as shown in Fig. 2. Backing discs of the latter type maybe formed of such materials as paper, plastics, metal, and other formabl'e sheet stock. These are formed to the contour of the pad and arranged to permit co1- lapse of the disc in an axial direction upon compression.

The desired arrangement maybe secured by the formation of the disc with corrugations I8 which may extend throughout the area of the disc or merely about the outer edge portion of the disc where the compressive portions are ef.- fective, leaving unmodified the central portion I9, which may' have a cut-out 20. Suitable corrugations' may comprise radiallyl arranged corrugations 2|', as illustrated` in Fig. 4. They may also comprise concentric rings 22 or" varying diameter, as illustrated in Fig. 5. The corrugat'ions may be in the form of cross-hatching, 23, as illustrated in Fig. 6. These or other deformable disc constructions havingV similar characteristics enabling deformation or collapse may be used to back the key pad for enabling realignment of the pad. for temporary or permanent adjustment.

The value of this invention will be apparent to those who play wind instruments. Considerable when the key is out importance is attributed to the ease and accuracy I with which the pad may be' realgned. by the player himself without resorting to the expense vand bother of submittingV` the instrument to exis` 'pert technicians. In fact, separate low-cost discs may bev provided to repairmen or directly to play 'ers throughout the country tov enable the desired readjustment of the pad `into proper alignment to be quickly and economically effected without tampering with the instrument.

It will be understood that a simple carrier may be used instead of the cup-shaped member I4. However, the latter, when formed of rigid material, operates as a reinforcing backing for the deformable disc to impartv permanence and strength to the structure, and forA that reason it is preferred. Ordinarily, conformance dirnensionally between the shape of the tone-hole socket and the corresponding disc and pad is desired, the illustrated elements being substantially circular, but they may be oval, square, or of other corresponding geometric shapes to provide a sealing; relation between the pad and tonehole socket.

The above detailed description is merely for purposes of illustration and the invention is to be limited only by the scope of the appended claims. 1

What is. claimed is:

l.A A. key operative with a tone-hole socket of a, wind instrument comprising a pad adapted to fit over the tone-hole socket' in sealing relation, a rigid. carrier by which the pad is operated to sealing and open positions of adjustment, and a corrugated layer of sheet material intermediate the rear face of the pad and the carrier to enable readjustment of the pad into alignment with the tone-hole socket.

2. A key operative with a tone-hole of a wind musical instrument comprising a pad cup, a pad mounted in the pad cup, and a backing member of deformable. corrugated sheet material capable of retaining a set4 between the pad and the cup whereby the angle oi the pad in the cup can be adjusted.

3. A key operative with a tone-hole of a wind musical instrument comprising a pad cup, a pad mounted. in the pad cup.. and a corrugated sheet of non-resilient material between the pad and the. cup whereby the angle of. the pad in the cup can be adjusted.

4. In a key pad for wind musical instruments, a pad adapted to engage and close a tone hole, and. a backing member of deformable corrugated sheetV material. capable of retaining a set secured to one face of the pad.

FRED M. SCHOEMANN.

REFERENCES CITEDl The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENISy Date 

